Athletics News

The Great Lakes men were hoping to carry some momentum from Saturday's stellar performance into Tuesday's rivalry clash with Kuyper. They came up just short in this one, 76-68.

It was a tight one from the start, the teams trading baskets until the Crusaders put up a 7-point run to take a 29-20 lead, the largest they would hold all night, with eight minutes to go in the first. But a 12-point Kuyper run put an end to the Crusaders' lead, and the teams continued to go back and forth to a 38-38 tie at halftime.

The Doty Center was as loud as it had been all season as the second half tipped off. Once again, the teams continued to trade baskets, the lead changing hands constanatly through the first part of the half. With about eight minutes to go, however, Kuyper started to pull away, slowly building a ten-point lead in the closing minutes. The Lakes fought back hard, but were unable to overcome the deficit, falling 76-68. Kyle Downing, in his return from injury, led the team with 20 points.

On a positive note, the Lady Crusaders downed their Kuyper counterparts 64-41. The girls took an immediate advantage and never looked back,leading 32-13 at the half. Caiti Piercefield led the team with a double-double; 22 points, 11 rebounds.

The men take on Valley Forge on Saturday at 3:00 at the Doty Center, their last home game before the rivalry clash with Grace on Tuesday at 5.